Keeping Up With The Joneses
by Queenbean3
Summary: A collection of short stories about the life and times of Coraline and her parents. Contains both book and movie content.
1. Stings

Disclaimer: I don't own Coraline or anything related to it. This collection of stories is made up entirely of oneshots and drabbles based on the book and/or the movie. Neither of which are mine.

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Stings

"No. Absolutely not."

"Aww, come on, Mel. Why not? She's wanted to explore the wasteland for such a long time."

"People dump their trash there, Charlie! There's broken glass and rusty metal! What if she cuts herself? She could get tetanus!"

"That's why I'll go with her. I can make sure she doesn't touch any sharp things or get hurt. Come on, Mel, don't you trust me?"

There was a pause, then a sigh. "All right, fine. Just make her wear sturdy shoes and gloves."

Behind the bedroom door, five year old Coraline Jones balled her fists together and bit her lip to keep from cheering. He did it! He really did it! Daddy promised he'd convince Mom, and he did it!

That afternoon the two of them walked hand in hand to the wilderness behind their home. It was chilly and the trees were bare, but the sky was blue and sunny. She blew out a long plume of white steam and giggled. "Look, Daddy! I have dragon breath!"

He grinned down at her through foggy glasses. "You sure do! You could scare a real dragon away with smoke like that!"

"Do you think there's dragons living in the ravine, Daddy?"

Her father shrugged. "Who knows? There could be all kinds of weird critters out there. That's why Mom was afraid to let you go. She thinks they'll eat you up or something."

Coraline clutched his hand tighter. "You won't let them eat me, will you, Daddy?"

"Never! I'd slay any dragon that tried to lay a claw on my princess!"

The way he said it was funny, but Coraline knew it was the truth. Her father was her hero. He could do anything. He chased away monsters from her closet and under her bed, and sang songs to her when she couldn't sleep. He was the bravest father in the world.

Shortly they arrived at the gully. The place was a treasure trove of junk. There were old empty dressers and vanity tables, rusted bed frames and mattresses with springs poking out, and even broken toys and bicycles. There were plants, too. Weeds and vines and wildflowers growing in, on and around anything they could reach. It was wonderful.

Coraline's father led her down the hill and allowed her to wander but was never very far from her side. She picked up everything she could get her hands on and showed him what she found. He would comment on the objects as though her were an antique expert and even said it was alright to keep some. She took a cracked pocket watch with a rusty chain, a tarnished bed knob, a few scraps of cloth from a tattered quilt and some old coins. Her bag was soon clinking with her treasures.

Suddenly her father spoke. His voice was tight and urgent. "Coraline … Run away. Up the hill. Now!"

From the look on his face, Coraline was sure he'd seen a dragon somewhere. So she ran as fast as she could, back up the hill the way she'd come. Something hot and sharp hurt the back of her arm, but she kept on running. When she reached the top of the hill she heard a terrible thundering noise. She turned around, fearing the dragon had gotten her father and was coming after her. But it was her father charging up the hill. His glasses were gone. As soon as he reached her he scooped her up in his arms and kept on running.

When he finally stopped and put her down again he was puffing and panting. Coraline was also gasping for breath. "D-Daddy," she wheezed. "Wh-what happened?"

Her father was still trying to catch his breath, so he pointed back at the gully instead. Coraline looked. There was no dragon. Instead there was a swarm of yellow wasps buzzing angrily in the air. "We…" her father panted. "We must've stepped … on their nest … Did you get stung?"

Coraline remembered the pain on her arm. It still hurt when she touched it. "Yes."

"Then we better get you home so Mom can fix it." He clutched her hand and started to walk briskly, all but dragging her across the cold ground.

"Daddy, what happened to your glasses?" Coraline asked.

Her father sighed. She didn't ask anything else.

By the time they got home, Coraline's father had bright red welts appearing all over his body. Her mother had to take him in the bathroom and rub him down with ointment. Coraline peered through the crack in the door and counted the stings she could see. She put her hand over the single hot sting on her arm. Her father must be burning all over.

When her mother was done, her father put his clothes back on and came out of the bathroom. Coraline hid behind the door, but she wasn't fast enough. He looked down at her and smiled. "You okay, kiddo?" She looked at the floor and nodded. He ruffled her short brown hair. "Good. I'm going back to find my glasses now. Don't let Mom worry too much."

Coraline looked up at him with wide eyes. "But what about the wasps?"

He nodded. "Maybe. But I need those glasses. They're the only pair I've got. If I leave them another day I won't remember where they are."

Coraline wanted to protest more, but he was already leaving. She started to follow him. Her mother came up and put her hands on her shoulders. "Let him go. Don't worry. Your Daddy's a very brave man."

Sure enough, later that afternoon, her father came home wearing his glasses. Coraline ran to meet him and hugged him. When he groaned in pain she pulled back. She'd been so glad to have him back that she'd forgotten all about his stings. "Are you okay, Daddy? I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

He smiled down at her warmly. "It's okay, princess. I'll survive."

"I can't believe you did that!" Coraline said. "Weren't you scared of the wasps?"

"Sure I was. When I went back, that is." He knelt down to her level and looked her in the eye. His glasses were smudged with dirt. "The first time I wasn't scared, because I saw you running away. I knew they couldn't hurt you then. "

"You were really brave, Daddy."

He shook his head. "No, that wasn't being brave. I wasn't scared then. Giving you time to run was the only thing I could do. But going back for my glasses when I knew the wasps were there, _that_ was really brave."

Coraline tilted her head, feeling very confused.

"See, Coraline," her father continued. "Being brave doesn't mean you aren't scared. It means doing what you have to do, even when you _are_ scared. Does that make sense?"

She thought for a moment. Then she shook her head.

Her father shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. "Well, I tried. Maybe you'll get it when you're older." He stood up, taking her small hand in his. "Come on, we're both dirty. Let's take a bath and count my stings. Mom said she saw thirty-nine of them."

Coraline's eyes grew wide. Her father was the bravest father in the world.

The End


	2. Well Done

Well Done

Eight year old Coraline Jones stood in the garage chewing her fingernails. Her mother was kneeling on the floor, unscrewing the bolts that fastened the training wheels to Coraline's hot pink bicycle. As the first bolt came loose and clinked to the ground, Coraline pictured herself swerving out of control and crashing into a tree. As the second bolt fell, she saw herself falling into an open sewer.

Her mother placed the wrench back in the toolbox and stood up. "Alright, get your helmet."

Coraline obeyed reluctantly. She fastened the straps of her ladybug helmet, pushed the kickstand up with her foot and walked the bicycle to the top of driveway. The short slope looked a lot steeper all of a sudden.

"I changed my mind, Mom. I can't do it."

"It's not that bad, Coraline. You just pedal and I'll hold you steady."

"What happens if I fall?"

"Then we try again. Ready?"

Coraline's mother began to push the bike forward. Her legs began pedaling of their own accord, and her hands tightened around the handlebars. Slowly the bicycle inched forward down the driveway. Then her hands steered to the right and the bike turned onto the sidewalk.

It was summer, and the weather was warm and sunny. Other children in the neighborhood were playing outside, and many of them rode bicycles. Coraline noted that only the little children rode bicycles with more than two wheels.

Her mother followed, still holding the back of the bicycle tightly. It wobbled a bit, but it did not fall. Coraline sat up straighter, feeling a bit more confident. She began to pedal faster. Maybe her mother was right. Maybe she was ready for this. Maybe she could ride with her friends, and not get teased about the squeaky training wheels.

Her mother was jogging behind her. "I'm letting go now! Keep pedaling!" Coraline took a deep breath, pumped her skinny legs harder and continued down the sidewalk. She heard her mother's retreating voice behind her. "You're doing it, Coraline! You're doing it!"

She grinned, wobbling only slightly in her seat. She was doing it. She was riding her bike without training wheels. She was doing it without her mother's help. She was _doing_ it.

Then she saw a large crack in the sidewalk. Coraline turned the handlebars and successfully dodged it, but lost her balance. Before she knew it she and the bike were tumbling onto the neighbors' lawn. Her helmet cushioned the blow to her head, but she was still somewhat dazed when her mother came running up.

"Coraline! Are you okay? Oh, no, you're bleeding!" Coraline looked down and saw the palm of her hand and her knees had been scraped on the rough concrete and were indeed bleeding. Other than that she had no injuries except for some aches and soreness. Her mother helped her stand and picked up the bike. "Come on, let's get you home and cleaned up. Maybe you shouldn't practice anymore today."

Coraline walked stiffly alongside her, trying not to look at her blood. "I was doing it, Mom! Did you see? You saw me, right? I was riding all by myself!"

"Yes, I saw you, Coraline. It was a good first try. But next time maybe I shouldn't let go so soon."

"It wasn't you, Mom. It was that dumb crack in the sidewalk that threw me off. I'll do better next time, I know it!"

They tried again the next day, and the day after that and the day after that. Each day Coraline's collection of scabs increased. Her mother was naturally worried about this and wondered if her daughter was really ready for this. But each day Coraline insisted on practicing, and each day she was able to go a little further without her mother holding on to the back of her seat.

Then, nine days later, it happened. When Coraline's mother released her seat, Coraline kept going until she reached the end of the cul-de-sac. Then she successfully turned the bike around and rode back toward her waiting mother. She did not fall over once.

When Coraline stopped her mother she looked up at her, scrapes and all, and grinned. "We did it, Mom! We did it!"

Her mother smiled back and put her arms around her. "No, honey, _you_ did it. Well done, Coraline!"


	3. Help Us

Help Us

It was snowing. That was impossible. True, it was February, and yes, it was cold, but it wasn't cold enough for snow. Yet tiny glittering snowflakes floated down from the ceiling, totally without the aid of clouds.

Shivering from the cold, they huddled together and looked around. Frosty glass arched several feet above their heads and on all sides of them. In front of them was a wall of curved, frosty glass. Behind them was a frozen fountain with two large bear statues. They knew that fountain, and where it was supposed to be.

Suddenly the ground moved beneath their feet and the walls shook. They were rattled about like bugs in a jar and the snow flew into their faces. When the shaking stopped they both felt sore, dizzy and sick. Before one could ask the other what had happened, an enormous face appeared on the other side of the foggy glass. It was so stretched and distorted that it barely looked human, and its eyes resembled huge, black holes. The face grinned, and each one of its teeth was a little too long.

Then a loud, booming voice shook the walls of their prison. It had a distinctly mocking, female tone to it. "Well, well, well. What have we here? Coraline's old, boring parents."

Mel Jones was absolutely frozen with terror, until her child's name was mentioned. She stood up and tried to make herself taller. "Where is she? Who are you? What did you do to my daughter?"

The giant smirked. "I think you mean _my_ daughter."

Mel's chest tightened. Charlie touched her arm, quietly urging his wife to back down. It didn't work. "What are you talking about?" she shouted. "Who do you think you are?"

A huge black button appeared in front of her, as big as the moon. The voice gave a very low, sinister chuckle. "I'm Coraline's Other Mother. And soon, I'll be her _only_ mother."

The giant woman dragged a long, sharp nail across the glass wall, producing a deafening screech. Mel staggered back against her husband and covered her ears. Then the wall fogged up again, and the huge distorted face was gone.

"My God …" Charlie muttered. There was nothing else he could think of to say. His wife was silent and shivering. He put his arms around her for both warmth and comfort. "Mel, it's … it's gonna be okay."

"Coraline …" she murmured, clutching his jacket. "She wants Coraline … We have to do something, Charlie. We can't just sit here and let that … that _thing_ take her."

"I know, Mel, I know. But what can we do? There's no way out of here."

She pushed away from him and turned back to the glass. "Wrong. If there's a way to in, there must be a way out. Come on, Charlie. Help me find a way."

So together they searched their prison for some kind of exit. When they found none they began rubbing the glass again to discover where their prison was. The place outside bore a passing resemblance to their living room at the new house, but everything was bigger, and brighter, and moving. The whole time they were in each other's arms, the closest they had been in weeks. How ironic that it took a strange crisis like this to get them there.

During that time Charlie hummed a bit to lighten the mood, but Mel did not speak. Something that stranger had said was bothering her.

"_I'm Coraline's Other Mother."_

Coraline had said that in her dreams she had another mother. What if those dreams weren't just dreams? What if she really did have another mother, one that could cook well, and was prettier and nicer to her? What if she chose to stay with this woman and leave her real parents to freeze in this snowy prison?

No. Coraline was too smart for that. She knew better than to trust strangers. She knew better then to abandon her real family.

Didn't she?

"Mel, look!" Charlie said. "Out there, in the hall! Someone's coming!"

She looked. A clear space had formed on the glass as though a dragon had breathed on it. There were two shapes coming. One was a black cat, the other a young girl in orange pajamas. Around her shoulders was a small blue blanket, which she had slept with ever since she was a baby.

Still shivering, Mel leaned forward and wiped the frosty glass clear with one hand. Sure enough, it was Coraline out in the hall, looking scared and confused. When she spoke there was no sound.

Time was running out. The glass would fog up again soon. With one finger Mel wrote a short, two word phrase.

HELP US


End file.
